METAPHORIC PETROLOGY, AND OTHER PERSONAL CONNECTIONS WITH THE EARTH

If the goal is recruitment and retention, the process should include personal connections that allow the student to identify, at a very basic level, with the subject being explored. An introduction to petrology, the study of rocks, is a fundamental part of any beginning geology course. Students react differently to this subject, depending on their own personal history. Imagine asking the student, after the topic has been studied, to commission a bust of himself, and select a rock type that reflects something personal about himself, something that is not obvious to the casual observer. The selection must be explained in terms of the rock's characteristics, and the personal connection related to those characteristics. The profound observations received over the years reflect insights and interest not otherwise experienced with this same topic. Another example involves using the ubiquitous advertising that pervades every aspect of our lives. The student is asked to select a color advertisement in a magazine that shows a geologic setting as part of the ad. The geology must then be described and interpreted. Accurate description is an essential part of doing science, and while it is not as important, for the purposes of this exercise, to be right in the interpretation, the value of applying accurate (geo) logic is stressed. This exercise redirects the student's awareness to the ubiquitous presence of geology in her life. Popular films that utilize bad geologic science are also valuable teaching tools. While the bad science displayed on the screen may be misleading for the general public, it provides a wonderful opportunity for our students to be able to apply the good science they've learned in the classroom, and feel good about being able to critically analyze those films. Abundant additional examples exist of how personal connections may be made with aspects of how the Earth works.